I collect everything in the One Piece world.

In just a few breaths, the two had already exchanged dozens of blows!

"when!"

With a resounding boom, the two figures suddenly separated, each sliding back several steps before standing still again.

Koushirou's face still held that gentle smile, and the bamboo sword in his hand did not even tremble. His breathing was steady and long, as if the fierce battle just now was just a casual stretch.

Mo Sen lowered his head slightly, looking at the bamboo knife in his hand, clearly feeling the subtle yet distinct vibrations emanating from the blade. His brows furrowed, and he seemed lost in thought.

The gap is too big.

It's not a difference in strength or speed, but rather in the understanding and application of the "sword" itself.

Koushirou's swordsmanship appears simple and unadorned, with each move based on solid fundamentals, yet when combined, they form a seamless and flawless whole, filled with an ineffable sense of "Zen" and "nature."

His sword seemed to anticipate every move Morsen made, and every parry and counterattack was perfectly timed and exquisite.

Mosen felt as if he were facing a bottomless, calm lake. No matter how much effort he exerted or how he changed his approach, his power was easily absorbed and neutralized.

In terms of pure swordsmanship, he was no match for the master of this dojo.

Seeing Mosen deep in thought, Koushirou slowly sheathed his bamboo sword and smiled as he spoke: "Mr. Mosen's swordsmanship is very solid, with sharp and decisive moves, full of ambition and sharpness."

"With your current swordsmanship, you could say you've reached a certain 'perfection'. But precisely because you've reached that 'perfection,' a fog has appeared ahead."

He slightly opened his perpetually squinted eyes, and a fleeting glint seemed to flash within them:

"What you need to do next is not to continue following the 'sword path' of your predecessors or your own established path, but to find your own 'path' and walk your own 'way'."

"Only in this way can your sword truly cut through the fog, reach a higher realm, and become a true swordsman who is not bound by any framework."

Koushirou's words echoed in Mo Sen's mind, giving him much to ponder: "I see, I've learned a lot, Mr. Koushirou."

He then straightened up and asked the question that had been bothering him the most on this trip: "Mr. Koushirou, I have also encountered a bottleneck in the application of Armament Haki."

He drew his Snow Walk from his waist and raised his hand to demonstrate, "I always felt that I couldn't perfectly wrap Armament Haki around my sword. I always felt that I was missing the last bit of opportunity, but I didn't know what it was."

As he spoke, he focused his mind and began to activate the Armament Haki within his body.

A jet-black Armament Haki emerged from his arm and quickly spread, extending towards the snow in his hand...

However, strangely, the dark aura only spread and covered about a third of Yukizaki's blade before it stopped as if it had encountered an invisible obstacle. Moreover, the color seemed somewhat unstable and not as solid and stable as when it covered his arm.

It was as if an invisible film was preventing the perfect fusion of domineering aura and the blade.

Koushirou watched this scene with a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead gestured for Morsen to come with him, then turned and walked toward a straw target used for practicing slashing in the corner of the training field.

Mosen quickly followed, and Robin and the others also looked over curiously.

Koushirou stopped in front of the straw man, slowly drawing the long sword from his waist. The blade gleamed with a restrained, cold light in the sunlight.

He didn't make any exaggerated gestures or build-up; he simply raised the blade naturally and then gently placed it on the straw man's shoulder.

His movements were as gentle as if he were placing a fragile piece of porcelain, without making a sound or even causing the straw man to shake noticeably.

The people on the sidelines were also puzzled, wondering what was going on and how the straw man could be cut down like that.

Just as they were wondering, an invisible wave suddenly emanated from the point where the blade made contact with the straw man.

"laugh!"

The straw dummy was instantly cleaved in two from the shoulder to the waist, along the point where the blade was placed!

The cut is as smooth as a mirror, and you can even see the texture of the neatly cut grass stems inside!

Chapter 90, Flowing Sakura, the Secret of Overbearing Power

There were no violent slashing movements, no surging bursts of energy, and not even any obvious signs of Armament Haki covering the blade, yet the straw doll was so easily sliced ​​open?!

"!!!" Mosen's pupils suddenly contracted, and his breath caught in his throat!

He clearly sensed that at the moment the blade touched the straw doll, Koushirou's sword did indeed flash with an extremely pure, refined, and restrained fluctuation of Armament Haki!

But the fluctuations didn't "cover" the surface of the blade like they did; instead, they seemed to be integrated into the blade's interior, becoming one with the blade itself, and only "released" upon contact with the target!

Moreover, that force seems to possess a unique characteristic of "penetration" and "internal destruction"!

This is definitely not just a simple Armament Haki wrapping and hardening! It's a more sophisticated and essential application than basic Armament Haki coverage...

Is this what Wano Country calls "Ryuo"? (Ryuo itself has no color when it's released; it's only shown in the anime for aesthetic purposes.)

Koushirou slowly sheathed his sword, turned around and looked at Mosen, who was lost in shock and deep thought, with the same gentle smile on his face.

"You have great talent, and your observation and perception skills are extraordinary."

"You seem to be able to quickly understand the principles behind a certain power or technique, and even imitate it, after just seeing or experiencing it once. This is an extraordinary talent."

He then shifted his tone and pointed out the problem: "But this may also be one of the root causes of your current bottleneck."

Mo Sen looked up and began to listen attentively.

“You focus too much on ‘imitation’ and ‘manipulation’.” Koushirou’s voice was calm, but every word was profound: “You treat Armament Haki as an external force that you need to ‘drive’ and ‘shape’, like manipulating water to wash away stones, or molding clay to create a statue.”

He pointed to the snow-covered sword in Mosen's hand, which was about a third of the way in and looked a little unsteady: "So, your domineering aura extends out in a 'stiff' and 'deliberate' way. It and your sword are 'two different things.' You forcibly bind them together, so naturally they cannot be integrated. You will always feel a sense of separation and obstruction."

Koushirou paused slightly before revealing the crucial solution: "Armament Haki originates from your body and your will. It is an integral part of you, an extension of you, and your very breath."

"What you need to do is not to 'manipulate' it, but to feel it, trust it, and let it flow naturally in your body like your blood."

"When you swing your sword, don't think about ' channeling your domineering aura into the sword,' but rather think about 'my sword is an extension of my arm,' and then the domineering aura will naturally flow to where it should go."

Forget 'entanglement', forget 'coverage'. Remember 'flow', remember 'oneness'.

"When you understand what 'nature' is, and understand that power, the body, and weapons are inherently one..."

Koushirou looked into Mosen's eyes and said with certainty, "I believe that with your talent, you will be able to quickly master not only the basic Armament Haki, but also higher levels of application."

"Just like what I just did, it wasn't intentional, it was just that the power arose spontaneously from the thought."

"Forget about control...feel the flow...we are all one...power arises from the mind's desire..."

Koushirou's words instantly dispelled the fog that had been troubling Mosen for so long.

According to Koushirou's explanation, it seems that he has been thinking in the wrong direction all along!

He always thought about how to "control" and "master" his domineering aura, but he forgot that domineering aura itself is a manifestation of his life energy and will, and is a part of him!

It's not that "I" use domineering aura to strengthen the "sword," but rather that "I" wield the "sword" to fight, and the domineering aura will naturally follow "me"!

I see! Now I understand!

Mosen closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.

He no longer tried to "drive" or "control" the domineering aura on his arm and the blade, but instead completely relaxed his mind and body, immersing himself in it.

Feel the scorching and boundless life energy and unwavering will within your body; that is the origin of Armament Haki.

He no longer thought about "covering the blade," but imagined his arm holding "Snow Walk" extending infinitely, completely merging with the blade, becoming one with it.

Domineering presence is the natural "blood" and "power" flowing through this "extended arm".

As his thoughts raced, he opened his eyes, his gaze clear and resolute, and once again raised the snow-covered blade in his hand.

This time, there was no deliberate prompting, no forced extension.

Armament Haki flowed naturally from under the skin of his arm, like living water imbued with life and consciousness.

Then it spread evenly and steadily across his palm, flowing over the blade, silently yet perfectly enveloping and soaking the snow-covered blade.

The jet-black blade reflected a restrained yet dangerous light under the sunlight. The Armament Haki was solid and stable, as if the blade was born with this color, and it was completely integrated with Morsen's hand holding the blade, without any sense of separation or stagnation.

Armament Haki infused, perfectly mastered!

Seeing this, Koushirou's smile deepened, and he sincerely exclaimed, "Truly exceptional talent, understanding it instantly."

He paused, as if remembering something, his tone tinged with nostalgia and pride: "I have a disciple who is also exceptionally talented in swordsmanship, a sword fanatic whose heart is only for the sword."

"It's a pity he's already left the dojo to go out to sea for training. Otherwise, if he knew he had an opponent like you, he would definitely be excited to spar with you endlessly."

He was referring to Roronoa Zoro. When Morsen arrived and didn't see him, he knew that Zoro must have already left Shimotsuki Village and was probably now working as a pirate hunter, just like before.

"We might have another chance to meet on the high seas in the future, and we must have a good sparring session then." Mo Sen was filled with the joy of his breakthrough and gratitude towards Koushirou.

He sheathed his sword and bowed deeply to Koushirou once more, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Koushirou!"

A swordsmanship exchange not only allowed Mo Sen to witness a higher level of swordsmanship, but also broke through the long-standing barrier to the application of Haki, and even obtained a template for a higher-level application, namely "Ryuo". The gains far exceeded his expectations.

Upon hearing this, Shimotsuki Koushirou waved his hand and laughed, "It's mainly because you have exceptional talent; I was just giving a demonstration."

On the sidelines, seeing Mosen's extraordinary talent, Belo Betty's interest grew even stronger.

He's handsome, capable, and his values ​​align with hers—he's practically the perfect partner who fell from the sky. How could she possibly let him go?

She has to drink tonight, whether she likes it or not; she absolutely has to win over Mosen!

Chapter 91, Baccarat's Possessiveness and Marking

[East China Sea, Barati, a floating restaurant]

The octopus man and the bull-headed sea monster were exhausted and floated on the water, sprawled out on their backs.

They had just escaped the relentless pursuit of the sea kings, finally breaking free, and were hungry, exhausted, and sleepy.

A moment later, a chef with curly eyebrows, blond hair, wearing a suit and smoking a cigarette came to them carrying a large pile of food.

Sunlight streamed down, casting a halo around his back. The octopus man and the minotaur felt as if they were seeing an angel, even though this angel was smoking a cigarette.

At dusk, the moonlight shone like water at the inn in Frostmoon Village.

Mo Sen sat at the table, writing furiously with a pen in hand, his expression serious and focused.

This knowledge is not a product of this world.

Although the specific circumstances of the two worlds are different, many underlying logics and core principles are the same.

"Although I don't intend to join, I'll give them some theoretical 'ammunition'," Morsen thought to himself.

His belief in freedom and adventure was equally unwavering.

Therefore, providing some advanced "cross-world" ideas as support is his way of showing goodwill and also a way of making a good connection.

This was also the main reason he accepted Belo Betty's invitation that evening; he intended to give her these things.